Duration

Roles Available

The UK is steeped in history and dotted with ancient buildings, castles and cathedrals. Volunteers work in schools, outdoor activity camps and community centres.

UK Placement Roles

Outdoor Education

You will assist or lead children of all ages in group activities such as archery, abseiling, canoeing and orienteering. You can also gain qualifications in these activities. In the evening you might run sessions playing games, singing songs etc. You may also be asked to help with catering or maintenance.

School Assistant

You could be based in a city centre, a country town or a boarding school with extensive grounds in the countryside. Working in a boarding school is not a 9 – 5 job and you may sometimes have to work in the early morning or in the evening. Your duties may include getting boarders up, supervising going to bed, helping with after school activities and homework and weekend excursions. Other duties could involve helping in the school office as well as supporting pupils in the classroom.

Community Activities Assistant

Residential placements may be in respite centres for people with disabilities, residential homes or residences for the homeless. Most placements have adult residents. Volunteers may be expected to provide companionship, help with outings and various activities. All necessary training will be provided. Past volunteers in the UK have found these placements to be particularly meaningful and rewarding.

What to expect

Pre-departure

You will be assigned a member of Lattitude staff who is your go-to person to contact with any queries or questions. We will be here to match you to a specific placement, help you with fundraising, sponsor your Visa and assist you with your other preparations.

Arrival and Orientation

You will be met at London Heathrow airport by Lattitude staff and taken to our orientation location in central London. Once you arrive, you will spend the rest of the day acclimatising and getting over any jet-lag! Day 2 of orientation is full of workshops and sessions designed to prepare you for your placement in the UK, as well as to help you get to know Lattitude staff and fellow Lattitude volunteers. We will also take you on a walking tour of London’s most famous sights! On day 3, volunteers will all depart to their placements around the country.

Accommodation, food and allowance

Accommodation and food (or a food allowance) is provided by all UK placements. In some cases, especially with the outdoor education and community placements, there may be a small community of volunteers—so you’ll get to meet people from other countries and get an extra dose of culture. Accommodation varies from placement to placement but usually it will be on-site at a school/ activity centre or in a shared house or flat.

Food arrangements will also vary considerably between placements ranging from self-catering to meals with students or residents.

All UK placements provide a volunteer allowance to reimburse towards the costs incurred in taking up a Lattitude placement. Most volunteers use some of their allowance to travel in their free time.

Free time & travel

Although your volunteering placement is the main reason for your stay in the UK, we encourage you to make the most of your free time by travelling and exploring the UK and the rest of Europe. With the efficient and accessible public transport system in the UK, you are able to discover towns and cities such as Edinburgh, Oxford, Manchester and Brighton in a weekend with ease. For longer holidays outside of the UK (to be agreed with by your placement host) the favourite destinations of Lattitude volunteers include: Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin, Prague, Budapest, Berlin and Venice!

Dates & Costs

Costs

Lattitude Global Volunteering fee: £2500 for EU nationals (contact us for fees for other nationalities)

What’s included?

In depth matching process to align your skills and interests with a placement that really suits you

Assigned Volunteer Coordinator to help with all your pre-departure information, advice and guidance

Links with returned volunteers

Relevant DBS/police check fees

Pre-departure briefing

Airport pickup on arrival and In-country orientation

Part of country programme network of international Lattitude volunteers

Day to day support from your placement host and a member of staff as your mentor

Lattitude sponsored Tier 5 Charity Worker visa

UK Sim card compatible with individual mobile phone

UK bank account

Accommodation and food (provided by your placement)

Weekly allowance (provided by your placement)

24/7 support from Lattitude, including in-country support from the Lattitude Country Manager

Focus on your personal volunteer learning and development

Returned Volunteer follow up and Debrief Event

Opportunity to join the Lattitude Alumni

Please note this fee does not include the cost of getting to the UK/Ireland or extras such as insurance or any inoculations you may need.

Fundraising

As a charity we always recommend our volunteers fundraise to help meet the costs involved in volunteering overseas. In many ways it is part of the whole experience. For more information and fundraising ideas please click here.

Planning your trip

We always recommend applying as early as possible in order to secure your place.

Please note that the application deadline is the last possible time allowed to get an application form in that allows us enough time to match volunteers and begin sorting out visas.